Name: Period: Date:

Toothpickase” Lab

INTRODUCTION
This is a “hands-on” lesson in enzyme action, demonstrating the natural increase in reaction
rate, the leveling off of the reaction and the subsequent drop in products produced as the substrate
is used up. You are to pretend that toothpicks are the substrate to be broken down and your hands
are an enzyme, complete with an “active site” (between your fingers and thumb.) Notice that the
enzyme (your hand) is much larger than the substrate (toothpicks.) As you will be performing the
activity with your eyes closed, this simulates the random contact made between substrate and
enzyme. The object of the activity is to break as many toothpicks in half as possible in two
minutes to test the “enzyme”.
During the activity, you will also notice that the substrate will not break unless you find just
the right spot (the bonding site) and that you will naturally find a maximum rate of reaction, the top
speed at which your hands can find and break an enzyme. This speed may lower during the activity as
your hands become tired, the pieces are all too small to break and the substrates get more and more
scattered in the “solution” (your playing field.) Throughout the activity, notice that the enzyme
(your hands) remains unchanged throughout the reaction.

MATERIALS
Toothpicks, approx. 50 per student, Stopwatch, Calculator, Paperclips

PROCEDURE
The Rules:
1. You must break each toothpick one at a time
2. You must break each toothpick with one hand ONLY.
3. You must break each toothpick completely in half.
4. You cannot begin before your partner says “Go!”
5. You must stop precisely when your partner says ”STOP!”
6. You must keep your eyes closed throughout the entire activity. Enzymes don’t have eyes!

The Activity Part 1:

1 Spread the toothpicks on the lab table in a random pile.
2. When the timer says “GO!” begin breaking toothpicks.
3. After 10 seconds, the timer will says, ”STOP!”
4. Count and record the number of toothpicks broken.
5. When the timer says “GO!” begin breaking toothpicks again.
6. At end of 20 more seconds (30 sec. accumulated), the timer will say ”STOP!”
7. Count and record the total number of toothpicks broken
8. When the timer says “GO!”, begin breaking toothpicks again.
9. At end of 30 more seconds (60 sec. accumulated), the timer will say ”STOP!”
10. Count and record the total number of toothpicks broken
11. When the timer says “GO!”, begin breaking toothpicks again.
12. At end of 60 more seconds (120 sec. accumulated), the timer will say ”STOP!”
13. Count and record the total number of toothpicks broken
Name: Period: Date:

Part 1: How fast toothpickase works

Time (seconds) Number of toothpicks broken Initial/Reaction Rate

0
------------------------
10
Initial Rate:
30

60

120

ANALYSIS
1. Calculate the initial rate of enzyme activity by dividing the number of toothpicks broken by
the change in time (10 seconds). Record the initial rate in the chart above. Remember units!!

Formula: ∆M = ∆ in amount = Change in amount

∆t ∆ in time Change in time

2. Now, calculate the rate of enzyme activity for the other times (30, 60, and 120). Remember,
the rate is the # broken/change in time in seconds. Record this rate in the chart above.
Remember units!!

3. What happens to the reaction rate as the supply of unbroken toothpicks runs out?

How does the “active site” of toothpickase fit the concept of induced fit? The induced fit concept
says that there is a change in the shape of the active site of an enzyme so that it binds more snugly
to the substrate, induced by the entry of the substrate.
Name: Period: Date:

Part 2: Adding another substrate into the mix

Directions: Mix some paperclips in with your toothpicks. Break as many toothpicks as you can without
looking. Record how many toothpicks are broken in the same intervals as part 1.

Time (seconds) Number of toothpicks broken

REACTION RATE

0
------------------------
10
Initial Rate:
30

60

120

ANALYSIS
1. Calculate the initial rate of enzyme activity by dividing the number of toothpicks broken by
the change in time (10 seconds). Record the initial rate in the chart above. Remember units!!

Formula: ∆M = ∆ in amount = Change in amount

∆t ∆ in time Change in time

2. Now, calculate the rate of enzyme activity for the other times (30, 60, and 120). Remember,
the rate is the # broken/change in time in seconds. Record this rate in the chart above.
Remember units!!

3. How does mixing in a “wrong” substrate affect how many toothpicks are broken by
toothpickase?
Name: Period: Date:

Line Graph (proper title, labels, and numbering):

Graph your data from Part 1 and connect the dots to make a line. Then, graph your data from Part 2
and connect the dots to make a line. Use different colors for each line and make a key to the graph.

Key:
Name: Period: Date:

Conclusion Questions (answer in complete sentences):

1. What is an enzyme? What is the enzyme in this activity?

2. What is a substrate? What is the substrate in this activity?

3. Predict what would happen if we used double the amount of toothpicks per person?

4. Predict what would happen if the toothpicks were more spread out on a bigger table?

5. Predict what would happen if two pairs of hands acted as enzymes (double the amount)?

6. Predict what would happen if your hands were very cold?

7. Predict what would happen if your thumbs had been taped to your "pointee” (index)
finger?
Name: Period: Date: